Lavallee Takes First as UNH Competes in Pentathlon vs. Maine

Dec 06, 2013

DURHAM, N.H. - Junior Virginia Lavallee (Kingston, N.H.) took first place in the pentathlon as the University of New Hampshire women's track and field team opened the indoor season hosting day one of a dual meet with the University of Maine at Paul Sweet Oval.

Lavallee led five UNH athletes that competed in the pentathlon during day one of the meet. The junior finished the event in first place with 3201 points, Maine's Jessica McCarthy took second with 3178 points, followed by UNH senior captain Caroline Bonsaint (Hampton, N.H.) who took third place with 2760 points. Ashton Hackett of Maine finished in fourth (2755), UNH's Taylor Ordway (Plaistow, N.H.) followed in fifth (2709), and junior Janine Appleton (Marlborough, Conn.) earned sixth. Junior Jessica Salley (Andover, Mass.) began the day, but was forced to withdraw in the final event.

The competition opened with the running of the 55-meter hurdles event. Lavallee finished first with a time of 8.33 seconds followed by Hackett (8.62) and Bonsaint (8.84). McCarthy (8.99) earned fourth place, Salley took fifth (9.37), Ordway placed sixth (9.93), and Appleton (10.60) closed in seventh.

Salley earned first place in the second event, the high jump. The UNH junior cleared 5-05.75 feet to top McCarthy's best of 5-00.25. Appleton and Lavallee tied for third place (4-11.00) ahead of Bonsaint and Ordway who tied for fifth (4-08.75), and Hackett who placed seventh (4-05).

Following the high jump, the Wildcats took two of the top-three spots in the shot put event. Bonsaint earned first (34-11), McCarthy claimed second for the Black Bears (32-09), and Lavallee placed third (31-08.75). Salley came in fourth (26-10.50), Ordway took fifth (26-10), and Hackett (25-11.50) and Appleton (21-10) finished sixth and seventh.

Bonsaint took her second first place finish of the day when she won the long jump event (15-11). Ordway and Lavallee split second place with a 15-06.25 measurement, McCarthy and Hackett followed in fourth (15-06) and fifth (14-09.75), and Salley (14-05.75) and Appleton (13-06.75) took sixth and seventh.

McCarthy won the final event of the pentathlon, the 800-meter race, with a time of 2:26.67. Lavallee locked up her victory with a second place finish timing of 2:32.10. Ordway earned third (2:32.13) and Hackett took fourth (2:37.32). The fifth and sixth place finishers were Appleton (2:56.02) and Bonsaint (3:06.24).

The Wildcats resume competition in the UNH-Maine dual meet tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. For the latest news and information on UNH track and field visit www.unhwildcats.com.